Lync Server 2013 – New Features

The RTM version of Lync 2013 has been released and is available for download. Lync 2013 comes with new and enhanced features. Lets look at the lync server 2013 new features:

1) Instant Messaging and Presence – Instant Messaging helps users to communicate with other users. Lync 2013 provides instant messaging platform along with conversation history. It supports public IM connectivity between with users who are on public IM networks such as Google talk, MSN, yahoo. Presence shows the availability of the user through presence modes like Available, Busy, In a meeting etc.

2) Conferencing – Lync 2013 includes the support for IM conferencing, audio conferencing, web conferencing, video conferencing, and application sharing, for both scheduled and important meetings.

3) Lync Client for Mobile Devices – With Lync Server mobility services, users can access Lync functionality when using supported Apple iOS, Android, Windows Phone, or Nokia mobile devices and perform such activities as sending and receiving instant messages, viewing contacts, and viewing presence. In addition, mobile devices support some Enterprise Voice features, such as click to join a conference, Call via Work, single number reach, voice mail, and missed calls. Push notifications are also supported for mobile devices that do not support applications running in the background.

4) Deployment Made Easy – With Lync Topology Builder which is a part of Lync Installation, you can create, adjust and publish the topology. When you install Lync Server on individual servers, the installation program deploys the server as directed in the topology.

5) Lync Integration – Lync Server Integrates with several products. Meeting tools are integrated with Microsoft Outlook to provide more new features to outlook like organize, schedule a meeting. Presence information is shown while you send a mail to the user.

6) Enterprise Voice – Enterprise Voice is the VOIP feature in Lync Server.Enterprise Voice is integrated with rich presence, IM, collaboration, and meetings.Features such as call answer, hold, resume, transfer, forward and divert are supported directly, while personalized speed dialing keys are replaced by Contacts lists, and automatic intercom is replaced with IM.

7) Lync Management Made Easy – when you deploy lync Server, you can manage the Lync Server with the tools like Lync Server Management Shell which provides a rich command set for administration. Lync Server Control panel facilitates the administrators to enable the lync for end users, its a web based UI and no software is required to access the control panel. Administrators can manage their systems from anywhere on the corporate network. Central configuration management, which enables you to manage changes centrally and have them replicated quickly to the entire deployment.

I am Prajwal Desai and I have been working in the IT for over 8 years with a strong focus on Microsoft Server Technologies. For the last five years, as a System Administrator I have been working on Lync, SCCM, Vmware, VDI, Exchange, Windows Servers etc. I’m currently very interested in everything related to Azure, Configuration Manager, Lync, Windows Server and Exchange.